All spoilers on this page are left unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
Despite the grimdark feel of the series, it's also got a few heartwarming moments.
Season 1
- When Kagari first meets Akane, he blushes and excitedly calls her cute.
- From the sixth radio drama
, we get this monologue from Kagari:"I still loathe the world of the so-called 'wholesome citizens', but I enjoy working as an Enforcer. Not as a shield for them, but as a hound for Unit 1 of the Criminal Investigation Department with the Public Safety Bureau where there're Kou-chan, Akane-chan, Gino-san, Kunicchi, Pops, sensei... The place where all of them are is the place where I belong."
- Throughout the series, Akane's treatment of the Enforcers is in itself heartwarming. These people have been cast out from society and are branded as felons for minor or even non-existent crimes, and this thankless job is the only alternative to being confined to an isolation facility for the rest of their lives. Her position in Sibyl's society is miles above theirs, as an Inspector with a naturally low Crime Coefficient. She should have no reason to be kind or even cordial to them, as she is warned that associating with latent criminals will cause her own Crime Coefficient to rise. Yet she treats all of them—Kougami, Masaoka, Kunizuka, Kagari, Ginoza, Tougane, Hinakawa, Sugo—not as subordinates, but as colleagues and even friends. She values their input and turns to them for advice when she needs it, trusts them to do the right thing, and thanks them when they do a good job. Sibyl may have taken their freedom, but it can't prevent her from making their lives just a little better. And it pays off, too—Kagari refuses to betray the MWPSB to Choe Gu-Sung because of her, Kougami doesn't take the chance to escape into the subway tunnels, and Hinakawa even calls her his "big sister".
- When Kougami is restricted to HQ to keep him from interfering with the Makishima case, the other Enforcers secretly aid him in his escape from HQ. Also, in the same episode, Akane admits to Kougami that his desire to be a detective rather than a hound was what motivated her to stay as an Inspector.
- Ginoza telling Chief Kasei that Akane is an excellent employee in episode 6. Coming from him, that means a lot.
- At the end of episode 10, Ginoza is berating Akane for continuing to believe that Kogami was in danger rather than sharing Ginoza's opinion that he ran away. When Kogami finally radios in to report what happened, the way her face lights up upon her faith in Kogami being validated is easily one of the anime's most "DAAWWWW" inducing moments.
- Verging on Tear Jerker is Ginoza's conversation with Masaoka in episode 13, especially in the context of the episode's opening scene in which Ginoza's therapist tells him to go talk to someone close to him. At the time, Ginoza insists that he can't talk to his father. Later he goes to talk to him anyway under the pretext of asking about Akane's admirable mental resilience. Even though he ends up raging at Masaoka for destroying his family, Masaoka is still concerned about his son not falling him down the same path, despite his attempts to frame it as him being subordinate concerned about his boss.
- Episode 16 has Kagari rebuffing Choe Gu-Sung's offer to take down the Sibyl System with, "My friends are fighting your boss upstairs. So I can't betray them." Think about what that means for a second: Kagari has a chance, one chance, to bring down the totalitarian system that ruined his life, stole his childhood, and made him an outcast from society for something he had no control over. A chance he's, in all likelihood, been waiting on for years. And when he gets it, he turns it down. Why? Because while working for the system that imprisoned him, he's found something real to be loyal to: his friends, especially Akane, who was probably the first person in years to treat him as something other than a dangerous criminal or disposable hunting dog. Goes to show that even in a series as gory and cynical as Psycho-Pass, The Power of Friendship still exists.
- In episode 18, when Akane falls asleep in her chair waiting for Kougami to wake.
- Also, when Kogami comforts Akane after its all over despite being on a stretcher.
- Shion comforting Akane in episode 19.
- From episode 19, the picture of Masaoka and young Ginoza in happier times.
- Mixed with Tear Jerker, Episode 21 has Masaoka's last words confirming his love for his son Nobuchika Ginoza, despite the falling out they had in their relationship.
- Episode 22 has Akane keeping her ideals even after everything that happened, and telling the Sibyl System that humans will always strive to make the world better. Akane also says that people won't need the Sibyl System one day.
- Another moment from Episode 22 is Ginoza talking to his father's grave, finally understanding and loving him.
- Kougami carrying Akane to safety. What makes it even more heartwarming is the fact that he's in the middle of pursuing Makishima. Even after throwing away his life as a detective for revenge, he still prioritizes her safety above killing Makishima.
- This. After the show's ending, while on the run from the authorities, Kougami takes a moment to call Akane just to let her know he's okay. He also tells her not to be surprised if she finds his dead body someday, but she refuses to think like that, hoping that one day they'll be able to meet again, not as Enforcer and Inspector, but as regular people. Also doubles as a big Sequel Hook for the second season and movie.
- It's small, but in Episode 22 when Makishima is in the truck in an attempt to escape and Akane is hanging onto it, Kougami actually shouts her first name in a moment of shock, rather than "Inspector Tsunemori" or just "Tsunemori".
Season 2
- In episode 1, Akane refuses to open fire on the criminal because it will kill him as his Crime Coefficient is over 300. But it's only at 302, so she realizes she may be able to get it down to the nonlethal zone. Over the protests of her fellow Inspector Shimotsuki, Akane successfully manages to get his Coefficient down by convincing the man that You Are Better Than You Think You Are after he admits he feels like Sibyl has decided his existence is unnecessary. And then after the suspect is apprehended, she actually gives a heartfelt thanks and a bow to her Enforcer team, which completely baffles Shimotsuki.
- In episode 7, when Akane gets word that her grandmother may be in danger from Kamui's hijacked drones, she drops everything and rushes to the nursing home where Aoi Tsunemori is confined to. Fortunately, she's OK, and sends Akane off with some kind words.
- Gino's continued, obvious concern for Akane's well-being as things start to heat up and she becomes dangerously obsessed with the case.
- He's also wearing his dad's coat and has left his glasses off, showing his acceptance of his father's behavior and himself as his father's replacement.
- The increasingly blatant hints that Akane really misses Kogami - the cigarettes that she doesn't actually smoke, stopping Tougane from becoming a murderer in the way that she couldn't with Kogami, and finally her brainstorming session with a mental version of him in episode 7.
- Yayoi comforting Mika in episode 5 by petting her head.
- Yayoi and Hinakawa comforting Akane after her grandmother's ear is given to her in a box. It's nice to see how much Division 1 cares about her.
- Surprisingly, Dr. Saiga, usually cool and unflappable, seemed especially furious about it.
- After Akane has her rights as an Inspector rescinded, two Inspectors try to arrest her for disobedience. Cue Ginoza and Hinakawa rushing in to not only defend her but also to inform the Inspectors that her rights had been reinstated.
- Also, Ginoza thanks Sugo for saving him from Shisui, showing that he can now accept Sugo as a friend, in spite of his actions in episode 4.
Season 3
- In episode 1, Arata and Kei subdue a pair of immigrants who are angry at their landlord, who defaulted on his loans and resulted in them being evicted from their home. Arata realizes they're just angry and frustrated and not actually latent criminals. Rather than punish or incarcerate them, Arata uses his connections to help the immigrants get new housing, and ensures the incident won't affect their or their relatives' immigration status.
- In episode 3, Kei punches Tenma's stepbrother for insulting Tenma and his late mother as latent criminals and telling to "disappear" just like his mom. Though it did get him temporarily suspended, Tenma appreciates him for defending him. Considering that Tenma is initially doubtful of Kei being an inspector because of his immigrant status, he eventually accepts him as his boss.
- It turns out Mika is the one who let Irie enter the Public Safety Bureau since he helped out Akane in her investigation on the abandoned zones before her imprisonment. Though Mika insists that she's continuing Akane's work, the fact that she does it on her behalf shows her appreciation to her senior.
- Mika also wants to enter the drinking party of Division 1 probably because she wants to see Yayoi again.
- The drinking party of Division 1 which is rare in the previous seasons as viewers don't see much of all the members hanging out together during down time.
- Kougami and Akane's conversation really holds it up for fans who love the pairing. Despite the circumstances, both of them are very happy to see each other with Kougami wanting to share Akane his travel stories.
- After having doubts on Kei, Tenma and Mao have renewed their faith on him and during their interviews with Yayoi, they thank him and Maiko for changing their lives.
First Inspector
- For all their arguing in the last couple of episodes of season 3, the movie shows how unbreakable Arata and Kei's bond truly is. It's clear that Arata trusts Kei and vice-versa and they manage to patch up their relationship by the end.
- Atsushi wanting Arata to live as a person rather than as a part of the Sibyl System.
- By extension, Atsushi giving Arata the player the latter uses to Mental Trace a person.
- An interesting one, but Sibyl letting Arata continue as an inspector rather as a part of their system.
- Irie getting Mao a music box for her birthday. It's shown that she keeps it on her desk as a sign of gratitude.
- Ginoza and Arata getting a bonding moment at the cemetery near the end of the third part. It's especially heartwarming knowing how Ginoza was at the beginning of the series until now.
- Yayoi offering Shion to move in with her. For shippers, this is a particularly heartwarming moment.
- Kougami picking up Akane from confinement. The first thing that she asks is for the both of them to get a bite.
- Arata revealing that he pushed Kei to propose to Maiko.
